Anchoring stake



* F. F. SCHIFF I ANCHORING STAKE Filed April 28. 1948 April 7, 1953 Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,633,947 ANCHORING STAKE Floyd F. Schifl, Chicago, 111. Application April 28, 1948, Serial No. 23,661

1 Claim.

This invention relates to anchoring stakes or other bars in the earth while also providing means for removing them.

Means for driving stakes and other retainer bars into the earth have been provided, and means have been. employed for anchoring the same in their driven position. Such stakes, however, are often ineffectively anchored to resist vertical pull or strain and more particularly,

means are not provided for readily removing such stakes after they have served their purpose. Removal of stakes from fields or areas where they may become a hazard is often of greater importance than the placing of the stakes, and there is urgent need for means enabling such stakes to be rapidly removed from the earth and without excessively tearing up the areas about the stakes.

The object of the invention is to provide means which will not only efiectively anchor stakes within the earth or other bodies but which will permit the ready removal of the stakes after they have served their purpose. Yet another object is to provide stake removal means in combination with anchor equipped stakes for removing the stakes without the expenditure of construction bar is effective in anchoring the stake against withdrawal While at the same time permitting again ready attachment of the stake to the construction bar for releasing the anchoring means on the bar and enabling its quick withdrawal by the action-of the construction bar.

Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a single'embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in Which- Fig; 1 is a side view in' elevation of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2,-an enlarged broken longitudinal section view taken in a plane 2 through the center of the device and at right angles to the plane in which the sectional view of Fig. 3 is taken; Fig. 3, a broken longitudinal sectional view of the lower portion of the stake or post illustrated andtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

. In the illustration given, A designates a constructicn bar; and Bdesignates a stake or post releasably connected to the construction bar. 7

The construction bar A may be of any suitable form or construction. The bar should be equipped with means for exerting an upward pull upon the stake B connected therewith as well as a downward pressure upon the stake.

In the illustration given, the construction bar A is preferably provided with a central shaft or track It equipped at its upper end with the anvil Ii. The anvil II should be sufiiciently sturdy to .resist the impact of a hammer directed against the anvil. In the specific illustration given, the anvil H comprises a threaded nut member threadedly engaging the end of thetrack member I!) and an outer lock nut l2 with a shockproof washer. l3 therebetween. The lower end of the track or shaft in is equipped with a head :member 14 welded or otherwise secured to the lower anvil l5 within the recess N5 of the anvil A sleeve member ll encloses the shaft [0, as shown best in Fig.2, and is provided at its top with an apertured upper hammer l8 and at its bottom with an integral apertured lower hammer The lower anvil I5 is provided with a transverse opening receiving the pivot pin 20 and a latch member 2| is pivotally mounted upon pivot pin 29. The latch member 2| at its lower end is provided with spaced arms 2 la adapted to extend under a collar or flange 22 with which the stake .B is provided. By this means, the stake is effectively locked within the recess It, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

The stake B may be of any suitable construc In the illustration given, I provide a.

upper anvil l r.

I 6 of lower anvil l5. The collar 22 may be integral with the stake B or it may be swaged about a stake so as to fit within a recess 24a therein, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

The stake B is provided with a longitudinal recess or passage 24, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and the stake near the top thereof which will extend out of the earth after the stake is driven is provided with a lateral opening 25 through which a cable 26 may be extended. Immediately below the large opening 25 is a constricted passage 2? which is efiective for locking the cable in different spaced positions by engagement with the beads or engagements 28 secured to the cable. The cable 25 extends downwardly through the passage 24 and at its bottom extends through the laterally inclined passage 29 to engage the anchoring member 30.

The anchoring member or fin 30 may be or any suitable shape or construction. In the illustration given, it consists of an anchor arm. 3!

adapted to extend laterally and having spaced.

legs 32 straddling the lower portion of the stake just above the point 33. A pivot pin 34. extends through the legs 32 and the stake B just above the point 33. If. desired, the end of the; anchor -member or fin 31 may be pointed as indicated. at '35. The.- end of the cable 26 extends through an opening in the member 3% near. the top thereof and is equipped with an engagement 36 which swinging the latch member 2! laterally so as to [insert the shank 23' into the recess it, as shown more clearly'in Fig. 2, the latch 2! is then pressed into the locking position shown in Fig. 2 with the spaced arms of the latch extending under the collar 22' of the stake B'. The stake B is then driven into the earth by raising the sleeve t1 and dropping the hammer l9 against the lower anvil f5. desired distance into the earth. In the operation just described, the anchor member or fin 30 is preferably held in the position shown in Fig; 3 by drawing the cable 2% to the position shown, and

with the bead 28, which is welded or otherwise fixed to the cable 26', engaging the outer surface of the stake to the narrow slot 21, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3; I prefer to drive the stake aiittle further than its desired final location within the earth. At the latter point, the cable 26 is released by raising itv into the upper enlarged opening and permitting the cable: to swing downwardly for the distance of another bead 28 or two. After the desired. cable slack has been passed into the passage 24 and the selected bead. has been locked by the narrow slot 2?, I then raise the sleeve ll quickly to strike the A few blows in this direction raise the stake B and the ressure of the earth againstthe pivoted anchor causes it to swing laterally as the stake B moves upwardly. However; head 26 engaging slot 21 prevents the anchor arm 39 to move beyond a selected distance and preferably not beyond the: laterally leitending position shown. in dotted lines in Fig. 3. If desired, the. arm 32 may be anchored at an angle slightly tilted upwardly, but with sufiicient lateral expansion to provide the necessary resistance to upward pull upon the stake B.

A rope may be secured to the stake B below Repeated blows drive the stake B for the the collar 22 to anchor some object to the stake. If desired, the ring of the chain may be placed about the stake and will be securely held thereon by the collar 22 in anchoring some object, such as, for example, an aeroplane, etc., to the stake. Even with a relatively short anchor or fin 39, the stake as shown is effective against powerful forces pulling upwardly upon the stake. The anchor 30 will be of any suitable length for providing the necessary resistance for carrying such loads.

When the post or stake B has served its purpose and it is desired to remove it, the construction bar A may be attached to the stake 13 again, as illustratedirr Fig. 2.. A slight downward movement of the stake by moving the hammer 19 against the anvil 15 may be efiected to release the strain upon the cable 26 and additional portions. of the cable may be fed through the aperture 25 into the passage 24. The stake may then be removed by raising the member I! repeatedly tobring the hammer l8 into contact with the upper anvil H. As soon as the cable 26 is fully released, the anchoring member 3t will swing to the lowermost position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In. this position, the. anchor offers substantially noresistance and the stake B may be readily withdrawn without disturbing the earth areas about the stake hole.

I have found that the anchor 36 is very effective when placed justv above the point 3.3,, as illustrated inFigs. 1 and. 3. At. this point, the legs 32. of the anchor. form a. smooth continuation of the point 33 and do. not obstruct. the driving of the. stake. into the earth. If. desired, the. leg portions 32. may be. rounded so as to. offer little frictional resistance to the passage of. the stake into the earth- I have shown the stake B equipped with a single. anchor or fin, and it will be understood that the finsv or anchors may be formed. in different shapes and of different types or materials.

While in the foregoing illustration, I have shown one structure in great detail for the purpose. of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such. details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the: art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. claim:

Anzanchoring; stake of the type wherein. axiallydirected blows are imparted to thev stake for both embedding and withdrawing the stake from the ground, comprising an. elongated stake member equipped atv its lower end with a conically-shaped point, an anchoring arm. equipped at one end with a pair of outwardly-extending le s spaced apart to receive said stake. therebetween. a pin extending transversely through said stake adjacent the conical point: thereof and beingv secured to the outer ends of. said legs and providing a pivotal mounting therefor, said legs being of sufficient length. relative to said conical point so that said anchoring arm is pivotal between an upwardly-extending position wherein the arm rests freely against the outer surface of. said stake member and toe downwardly-extending position in. substantiallyaxial alignment. with said stake, said stake being equipped with an axially-extending passage communicating at. its. lower end with the outer surface of said stake adjacent. said arm when the armis in. an upwardly-extending position and also communicating at its upper end with the outer surface of said stake, a cable secured at one end. to said arm and extending through said passage and being equipped at its other end with stop members for releasably securing said arm in laterally-extending positions, and means at the upper end of said stake member arranged so that striking blows in direct axial alignment with said stake may be imparted to eaid means for both embedding the stake in the ground or withdrawing it therefrom.

FLOYD F. SCHIFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Runyon May 3, 1887 Peirce, Jr Dec. 16, 1902 Thomas June 4, 1907 Fuchs Apr. 12, 19 10 Seder Jan. 18, 1921 Knepper Nov. 28, 1922 Wills 'Nov. 14, 1933 Hunt Nov. 2, 1937 Brice Dec. 24, 1940 Scott June 3, 1941 Matthews Jan. 20, 1942 Brand Jan. 9, 1945 Schifi Oct. 10, 1950 

